


A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

by batsy_rocks



Series: now we're two [3]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Good Friend, Conversations, Fundraisers, Gen, Happy 80th Birthday Batman!, Jim Gordon Doesn't Know That, Jim Gordon is a Damn Good Detective, Lies, Light Angst, Male Friendship, Secret Identity, Secrets, Support, Suspicious Behavior, Trust, but..., mutual respect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 12:56:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18261740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batsy_rocks/pseuds/batsy_rocks
Summary: Jim Gordon didn't expect to receive the public support of Gotham's favorite drunken playboy out of all the people in the room tonight, but that may not be a bad thing.





	A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I based this on the Nolan version (post TDK and ignoring TDKR) but the details are vague enough you can imagine the version you like better. The only thing you need to know is that something happened with the Joker and public opinion turned against Batman, leaving Gordon to deal with the backlash. Then, enter Bruce Wayne.

"We trusted James Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department before, and we can trust them again."

Bruce Wayne had to make a pause in his speech as yet another thunderous round of applause filled the room, a dazzling smile curving his lips as he basked in the crowd's response.

Gordon had gotten past the initial shock by now, but that didn't mean he was any less surprised by the words coming out of the billionaire's mouth.

This was the same man that went around the city ignoring red lights and crashing cars, and buying whatever building he fancied as if he were playing Monopoly. _He_ was definitely not the kind of person anyone would expect to be talking about rebuilding or the trust and respect the authorities deserved.

He was damn sure he wasn't the only one who felt that way, and yet, everyone seemed spellbound; hanging to Wayne's every word, nodding along or murmuring in agreement among themselves.

Gordon couldn't say he was exactly immune to it all, which made him frown and cross his arms across his chest as soon as he noticed it. Then, the Commissioner remembered he was sitting next to the Mayor, so he was quick to smooth his expression.

Pretty words and bright smiles wouldn't fix the city, but maybe they would motivate the citizens in it to _actually work_ to achieve it. Or so he hoped. And the money raised would certainly help, of course.

"We will overcome this. Of course we will, but we can't do it alone," Wayne declared, looking over the crowd. "We're stronger together and we need to stay that way. We can't allow anyone to take away our ability to trust each other. To trust in our authorities."

Gordon clapped along with everyone else as the speech finished, but the gesture was a bit more genuine than the polite applause he had offered most of the speakers tonight. Gordon didn't quite understand what had just happened, he just knew he had seen a new side of Bruce Wayne tonight.

For the first time since his return to Gotham, Gordon had seen the Wayne heir follow in his parents' footsteps.

The Mayor came up next to put an end to the speeches tonight, dragging the Commissioner along with him. Gordon hung back a little as the Mayor slung an arm around Wayne's shoulders and proceeded to praise the billionaire and everything he did for the city.

Gordon focused on keeping a straight face, his eyes wandering to the wooden podium in front of them. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed Wayne's notes were still there- because they were Wayne's. The billionaire made a show of pulling them out of his pocket, after all.

It was gibberish, plain and simple. A written speech should be clean and legible so it could be read without a problem and that was definitely not the case with Wayne's notes.

The question was why. If he didn't need a written speech, why pretend he did. And if he needed it, why use something like that- unless that was just the card Wayne used to scribble nonsense and the speech was at the bottom of the pile.

His musings were cut short when the Mayor finally remembered he was there and invited him- ordered him to address the crowd.

Gordon didn't get the same reaction he got just a couple of months ago, back when he was first appointed Commissioner, but the crowd's response was better than he had expected. Nobody booed him or threw insults or demands, at least.

As soon as it was finally over he hurried away from the stage, leaving the Mayor shaking hands and accepting the applause.

* * *

It took him a little over one hour to finally get close to Wayne. It felt like the billionaire had been avoiding him, sliding away smoothly every time Gordon tried to approach him. If it had been anyone else he would have thought it was deliberate, as it was, Gordon found it ironic that the only time he wasn't hiding from Wayne and his kind was the time he couldn't talk to the billionaire.

"Commissioner Gordon," Wayne greeted with a dazzling smile and a half-empty glass in his hand.

"Mr. Wayne," Gordon greeted with a nod. "Quite the speech you gave."

"You liked it?" He beamed. "I think someone from my PR Department wrote it. Not that I don't feel the same, of course, but I never would have said it so prettily."

He gave him a polite smile. "I understand. Sometimes it's not easy to find the right words."

Wayne nodded dutifully before taking a sip of his drink.

"Then again, you can read the perfect speech, but if you don't believe the words you're saying it losses all meaning."

Wayne's gaze, which had started wandering away snapped back to him at the words, looking sharp and dark in the gleaming lights, just for the split of a second.

"I suppose you're right," The billionaire said with an easy shrug.

"Anyway, I wanted to extend my thanks for the confidence vote in the GCPD and myself as well." Gordon looked away. "What happened with the Joker made a lot of people lost their trust in us, Mr. Wayne, and while I understand they have every reason for it, we need their trust to do our job.

"I believe your words and public support of the GCPD made some people _reconsider_ their own stance."

"I think you're giving me too much credit, Commissioner."

Sadly, he wasn't. Whatever the rich and famous said tended to have more weight than words from experts or truly well-informed people. "I'm just stating the truth, Mr. Wayne."

"You're not going to offer me a job like the public face of the Police Department or something like that, right?" Wayne asked with a sloppy grin, ignoring the resigned inflection in Gordon's words.

He offered him a benign smile. "I'm not, Mr. Wayne."

Wayne answered with a smile of his own before draining his glass.

"I meant it when I said Wayne Enterprises and the Wayne Foundation are willing to help in any way we can, you know," He said after a moment of silence. "I know throwing money at the city's problems isn't going to solve them, but I'm sure it will help some."

"It will."

"Lucius or someone from the company should be getting in touch soon, then." Wayne frowned. "I think they were actually talking about equipment and other in-kind assistance they could give."

"We will be happy to receive any help."

Wayne nodded, a polite smile on his face as his gaze moved away to scan the ballroom. The smile grew larger as he spotted someone among the crowd.

"If you excuse me, Commissioner, I must go speak with Miss Vreeland over there."

Gordon wasn't surprised to have Wayne's attention pulled away by a beautiful woman. He hadn't even expected to talk with the billionaire for as long as he did. "Of course, Mr. Wayne. It was a pleasure to speak with you."

Wayne looked down at the hand he extended for a moment before taking it.

The Commissioner found himself watching as the billionaire walked away, wondering if maybe there was more to Bruce Wayne than drinking and partying. Nobody who spoke the way Wayne had about the city could be as shallow and feckless as everyone thought he was.

The only question was why Wayne felt he had to lie about it. Was he afraid of losing his hard-earned reputation as nothing but a drunken weasel?

It made no sense to him, but the possibility that maybe there was more to him than what the media portrayed made Gordon feel relieved- maybe even glad. The memory of the pale boy brought to the station with his parents' blood on his hands and clothes and haunted eyes was still fresh in Gordon's memory even after so many years, and what happened tonight gave him hope for the man that little boy had become.

Perhaps it could be a good idea to keep an eye on the billionaire. Maybe lent a hand if he had the chance, and help keep him in this new path he seemed to have chosen.

The city could use all the help she could get (especially now that Batman was being hunted), and there was so much Bruce Wayne could do for Gotham other than writing checks and buying the city one building at a time.

Gordon thought back to the passionate young man he saw minutes before on the podium and considered that perhaps it wouldn't be too hard to convince Wayne to step up to the plate.

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this now to celebrate Batman's 80th Birthday (one day late because I'm always late) as well as Detective Comics #1000. After all, what better way to celebrate than with Batman's other partner, right? 😉 This was on my drafts for a while but it was almost finished so I pushed myself to have it ready now. I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> English is not my native language, so any tips or corrections are welcome.


End file.
